Dallas Lark is so close to achieving his dream of making it big in country music that he can taste it. Arriving in Nashville after signing with sexy, successful manager Mandy Lantram, his life goes from tragedy and turmoil to one lucky break after another—except it isn’t really luck because Dallas has sacrificed everything for his career, leaving behind his band, sister, best friend, and high school sweetheart, Robyn, in the pursuit of fame.

Robyn Breeland is a successful marketing coordinator and promotions specialist for a thriving liquor distributor out of Texas. She loves every aspect of her job: coming up with new ideas, traveling, hosting promotional parties and exclusive events—until it brings her face-to-face with the man who broke her heart, prompting her to erect a steel cage around it.

When their paths collide and they’re forced to work together, Dallas and Robyn realize that the old spark they thought they’d extinguished might still be a burning flame.

My Thoughts:

To be quite honest, I was nervous to read Loving Dallas. I didn’t care for Dallas in Leaving Amarillo, and had no interest what so ever, in reading his story. Even though I was told I could skip it and read Missing Dixie, I read it anyway.

Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it.

I’ve realized now that I have read the series, it’s not really the characters I dislike, per se, or the plot. It’s the writing. I just do not connect to Caisey’s writing at all. It’s not bad, because who am I? It’s wordy. It’s repetitive. And all of her books go in circles. Honestly, I feel this whole series could have been in one long ass book, around 400 pages. The character’s monologue is the same thing, page after page after page and I GET IT, OKAY? I’m stewing in my thoughts of, “MOVE ON ALREADY” to connect with the story.

And that’s a shame.

I do have to point out that plot wise, I hated the angle this went with the “twist” at the end View Spoiler »i.e. the pregnancy « Hide Spoiler. Even though the characters discussed it, it still felt like a push for them to get together, because honestly? Would they have if that didn’t happen? I DON’T KNOW.

I do think Dallas and Robyn are a good match. The balance each other out in the best of ways – but yet, they have the same fears and insecurities that created so much drama. Too many assumptions and miscommunications to be a coincidence.

All in all? Just meh. I kind of wish I would have skipped it, simply because I didn’t care for Dallas’ story as it was and the one I got was mentally exhausting. Can’t say I would recommend it, personally, but I seem to be in the minority with this one.

Rating Report

Plot

Writing

Characters

Pacing

Romance

Overall:

3

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This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

I've lived most of my life in darkness, beneath the shadows of secrets and addictions. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt the only girl I'd ever loved-the one who brought me into the light. In my entire life I'd made one promise-a promise I'd intended to keep. I've broken that promise and now I have to live with the fallout. Dixie Lark hates me, and I have to tell her that I love her. I also have to tell her a truth that might destroy us forever.

Can she love me even if she can't forgive me?

Learning to move on…

Gavin Garrison broke his promise to my brother and he broke my heart in the process. I may never love anyone the way I've loved him, but at least I won't spend my life wondering what if. We had our one night and he walked away. I'm finally beginning to move on when my brother's wedding and a battle of the bands brings us back together.

Our band is getting a second chance, but I don't know if I can give him one. How do you hand your heart back to the person who set it on fire once already?

I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

My Thoughts:

Lord have mercy, this series. Again, this whole series could be one book.

I mentioned in my review of Loving Dallas I found the writing to be the sole (but not only) issue with these books. I don’t care for how the characters are portrayed. I don’t care for the repetitive monologue’s (that are annoying, btw) and ALL THE ANGST. I especially didn’t care for the “she deserves better than me” and all the secrets.

At this point, we know Dixie loves Gavin and Gavin loves Dixie. They know that; we know that. But still, no communication. Let us mope and whine and piss sad tears because I don’t know how to talk or let you in or tell you why my life is a jumbled mess. THIS IS FRUSTRATING. It tells me that you don’t trust that person enough to handle the situation and/or HELP YOU while fixing it.

No.

At the time of making my decision to quit, I gave ZERO f*cks on if they got together or not. Or if the band got back together. Or… anything. I just didn’t care. *shrug*

I have Loving Dallas because I got it at RT last year, but I didn’t realize at the time that it was the second in a series. I’ve considered picking up the first book so that I could read it, but I guess I should just skip this one. Doesn’t seem worth the effort.Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell – Review